SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES AGREEMENT ON MADAGASCAR

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement reached today between President Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana in Dakar, negotiated under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations and facilitated by President Wade of Senegal, President Kerekou of Benin, President Gbagbo of Côte d’Ivoire and Chissano of Mozambique.  The Secretary-General, who has been following closely the situation in Madagascar, was represented at the negotiations by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahima Fall.

The agreement is a major step forward towards the resolution of the political crisis which persisted in Madagascar since the first round of presidential elections of last December.  The Secretary-General expressed the readiness of the United Nations to assist in the implementation of the agreement, as appropriate.

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